Category Archive: News

Arsenal concluded their Emirates Cup tournament with a 2-1 loss to Sevilla, however having scored a 5-2 win over Benfica ( and with each goal resulting in a point ) the Gunners retained their crown despite the La Liga side winning both of their games. Bundesliga side RB Leipzig were the fourth team involved. Arsenal will now turn their focus to facing Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley next Sunday before they kick of the new Premier League season with a Friday evening fixture against Leicester City. Wenger said his side will be ready and will not be caught out with low fitness levels or any lack of preparation as they were in last season’s opening day home loss to Liverpool. Had they won that game against the Reds, their points tally would have earned the Gunners a Champions League spot, and Wenger knows that Arsenal can ill afford to start their Premier League campaign with anything other than a win against the Foxes.

Arsenal brushing aside Benfica 5-2 in their opening game of this year’s Emirates Cup was good viewing, but this fixture spoke volumes for the absent friends and a certain Alexis Sanchez in particular. Arsene Wenger reinforced his stance that Alexis will see out the remaining year on his current contract despite intense pressure to sell from Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain. Arsenal fans got to see new signing Sead Kolasinac who had an excellent game and was instrumental in two of the Arsenal goals. His powerful all action game at both ends of the pitch worked well as the left sided midfielder ahead of a three man defence. Reiss Nelson also caught the eye with his pace and movement and Wenger praised both after the final whistle. Alexandre Lacazzete also came on for the latter stages of the game.

Arsenal completed the signing of France striker Alexadre Lacazette on Wednesday. The former Lyon man signed a five year deal for an initial fee reportedly to be £45 million and rising to £52 million with add ons. Lacazette competed a medical on Tuesday and becomes the Gunners’ second summer signing following the arrival of defender Sead Kolasinac from Schalke. Lacazette is now Arsenal’s record signing, surpassing the £42.4 million paid for Mesut Özil from Real Madrid.

Arsenal announced the arrival of defender of Sead Kolasinac who will officially join from German side Schalke when the transfer window opens in July. The Bosnia-Herzegovina international arrived in the N5 on a free transfer, and becomes the first summer signing for Arsene Wenger. Armed with a reported £150 million, Wenger will look the add more signings having signed a two year contract himself a few weeks ago.

In his 20th year in charge at Arsenal, there isn’t a lot that Arsene Wenger hasn’t witnessed at the North London club. Trophies, the Invincibles, incredible highs and lows which all come with the top level manager baggage tag. Yes, Wenger has witnessed a lot on his watch, and it seems every landmark has coincidentally been accompanied by a crucial clash against Chelsea.

As Arsenal were drawn against Paris St Germain, FC Basel and Bulgarian side Ludogorets in their Champions League Group A, Arsene Wenger was busy finalising deals to bring central defender Shkodran Mustafi and striker Lucas Perez to the Emirates. Both deals are very close to completion, with Mustafi costing a reported £35 million from Valencia, and Perez costing £17 million from Deportivo La Coruna. Arsenal have been linked with Mustafi for the main part of the summer transfer window, and Wenger will be happy to add to Germany international to his depleted central defensive ranks. Perez on the other hand was perhaps lower down on the Gunners’ radar and having intimated a deal would not be on the table, Wenger has apparently had a change of heart, when Perez was seemingly close to then signing for Everton.

With their first Premier League fixture of the 2016-17 season against Liverpool a matter of days away, Arsenal fans will be well within their rights to ask why a new striker and now with Gabriel ruled out for eight weeks with an ankle injury – a new centre back have not been signed as a matter of urgency. In his cool, calm persona, Arsene Wenger who likens the transfer window to a game of poker, will hope that he has all the aces up his sleeve come September 1st. By then of course, the Gunners will have already played Liverpool at the Emirates stadium and Leicester City and Watford away.

Forward thinking. It lends itself to the heart of a well run organisation. Arsenal is a well run organisation, but in their pursuit of a new forward, and based on recent events, the club could do worse than to re-evaluate their transfer policy and especially when it comes to reinforcing their firepower.

Firstly the Gunners pursuit of Luis Suarez became bogged down with a raft of what appeared to be mis-advice. £40 million plus one pound the rumoured release fee for Suarez at Liverpool was rejected and the player eventually moved to Barcelona for almost twice that figure in 2014.

Two years later and the theme seems to have been re-visited. Jamie Vardy’s release clause was triggered at £20 million, yet as the Gunners waited to set up his medical prior to Euro 2016, the player stalled, then had second thoughts, eventually deciding to stay at Leicester City, signing a new four year extension to his current deal.

The 2016-17 season kicks off with the Gunners hosting Liverpool on the opening day of the new season, with the first fixtures due over the week-end of 13th -15th August. In their final game, the opening and closing symmetric Merseyside theme then sees Arsenal at home to Everton. Champions Leicester City will see the Gunners at the King Power stadium on the second week of the new season, and as it stands, it is unclear which side Jamie Vardy will turn out for. Late September sees Arsenal host London rivals Chelsea, and that brings a change to recent seasons when Arsenal have tended to travel first to west London, so that change could give Arsene Wenger’s side a strong shout for a good home showing against one of their perceived title rivals.

As a piece of business, it was swift and just as the player had asked for. Arsenal’s signing of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach announced the Gunners’ intent in securing the Swiss midfielder on a long term deal for a fee believed to be around the £35 million mark. Another high profile signing is tipped to arrive at the Emirates stadium, as Jamie Vardy’s move from Leicester City inches closer. Whereas, Xhaka’s early switch ahead of the Euro’s was good for both sides, whilst the same is true for Vardy, however here the player appears in no hurry to commit just yet, and especially now that his focus is with England in France at Euro 2016.